Glastonbury's Donn Cabral Qualifies For Olympics

Donn Cabral of Glastonbury, a recent Princeton graduate, qualified for the London Olympics in the 3,000 meter steeplechase Thursday night at the U.S. Track and Field trials in Eugene, Ore.

Cabral finished second in the race in 8:19.81. Evan Jager won in 8:17.40 and Kyle Alcorn was third (8:22.17). Cabral, the NCAA steeplechase champion, was just off his fastest time (8:19.14), which he ran in a meet in Los Angeles in May.

At Glastonbury High School, Cabral was a two-time State Open and New England cross country champion, running the fastest mile in the country his senior year.

After graduating, Cabral went to Princeton, where he became an All-American.

He started to run the 3,000-meter steeplechase his sophomore year at Princeton coach Steve Dolan’s suggestion. He ran the fastest time by an American in May, won Princeton’s first individual NCAA title since 1934 in June and has become one of the top steeplechasers in the country.

The steeplechase is a 3,000-meter race with hurdles and a water jump.

"There aren't many people who get to be in my shoes right now," Cabral , 22, told The Courant before the Trials. "Life has been nothing but great to me for as long as I can remember, and I'm just really lucky to be where I am."

He also said he was well-prepared, which turned out to be the case.

"I can tell you that I've done everything I know how to do in order to be ready for that race, and there aren't going to be many people more mentally or physically prepared than I am going to be out there," Cabral said.